Shares

Written By

Categories

Shares

A short car ride from National Stadium skytrain station sits one of Bangkok’s favourite food destinations — Soi Yotse. While it is home to both sweet and savoury gems, the popularity of this alley was established by two of Bangkok’s famous Thai Chinese-inspired sukiyaki restaurants, Maverick Suki and Elvis Suki.

Located side by side, the rivals oddly offer similar dishes, ranging from sukiyaki to seafood. To make things fair, this will be an introduction to the oldest vendor established right on the corner of the famed stretch, Maverick Suki.

At a glance, the open-air restaurant features a modest yet roomy space that is usually packed inside.

Third-party delivery staff and other patrons are also often seen queuing outside for takeaway orders, so that’s always an option if you’re in a rush.

Up front is the outdoor cooking station where customers can watch the culinary magic done live. At least two cooks are always seen busily working the wok pans with their goggles and masks on.

While the restaurant serves both dry and soup-based suki with different choices of meat and seafood, Maverick is best known for its Suki Haeng Nuea or Stir-Fried Suki with Beef (THB 60).

I have to warn you though, the dishes sell out quite fast! Let’s just say, I visited three times before I got to devour this widely beloved signature.

Each serving comes with a small bowl of sukiyaki bean curd sauce for added tartness and spiciness. You can also garnish your helping with some pork crackling for an added crunch factor.

Was it worth the trips? Definitely. I was served a pleasantly unpretentious-looking bowl containing glass noodles wok-fried with egg, cabbage, morning glory, marinated beef, and pickled bean curd sauce.

It was exactly how a no-frills street-side suki should look like.

At the same time, for something so simple, it was beautifully executed. The beef was especially tender and succulent, while the noodles were perfectly moist and eggy.

Every bite was umami — rich and flavourful with a subtle hint of smokiness.

Another well-known dish at Maverick is the Guay Tiew Kua Gai or Stir-Fried Egg and Chicken Noodles (THB 60). This dish also sells out really quickly!

Also wok-fried, the flat noodles were simultaneously chewy, smoky, and peppery, which brilliantly complemented the juicy chunks of chicken. Chopped fresh spring onions brightened the dish with mild pungent notes.

A classic bowl of Guay Tiew Kua Gai is always served with chilli sauce as a seasoning and with deep-fried dough sticks for added texture.

To share, order a few seafood dishes from the humble setup at the right end of the restaurant.

It was around 5pm when I walked over to the stall to check if the staff had arrived as they usually open slightly after the main part of Maverick does. They were finally unloading their fresh ingredients!

The menu includes a short list of moderately priced items that are cooked upon request — grilled, boiled, or steamed. Please note that this is not your absolute go-to spot for seafood in Bangkok, so don’t expect to be completely wowed.